Area manhunt continues for escaped bank robber

Public alerted to keep watch for Bradley Monical, who broke out of the Jackson County Jail Monday

A helicopter buzzed 22 miles of the Bear Creek Greenway Wednesday while sheriff's deputies and search crews beat the bushes searching for a convicted bank robber who made a daring escape from the Jackson County Jail.

A helicopter buzzed 22 miles of the Bear Creek Greenway Wednesday while sheriff's deputies and search crews beat the bushes searching for a convicted bank robber who made a daring escape from the Jackson County Jail.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters asked county residents to keep an eye out for Bradley William Monical, 42, who broke out of jail at about 10 p.m. Monday.

Winters also reminded the public not to leave keys in cars and to lock their doors in order to keep Monical from attaining the means to flee the area.

"We don't want him to steal a car or some cash from someone's house," Winters said. "We want to make it as tough for him to leave this area as possible."

Monical escaped by standing on another inmate's shoulders in the recreation hall and removing a piece of metal mesh from the roof covering, Winters said. He then jumped into a nearby tree and climbed down.

Winters dispatched a search helicopter Wednesday morning. The helicopter zoomed over a large section of the Greenway as search and rescue and law enforcement walked the area searching for clues, Winters said.

Monical was wearing a green jail outfit that resembles medical scrubs. Deputies searched the alleys leading from the jail, but have not found that Monical ditched the greens to avoid detection, Winters said.

It is not known whether Monical had a contact on the outside who would have given him a ride, Winters said.

"We have monitored his phone calls, and he seems to be a loner," Winters said. "That's not to say that he didn't have help. We are looking into all possibilities."

Monical is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 170 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Officials said he is a danger to the community. Residents should call 911 immediately if they see him.

In a recent jail video, Monical is seen with hair and a bald spot on the top of his head. In his mug shot plastered on fliers given to the public, his head is bald.

Monical was scheduled to be tried in March 2013 in Jackson County Circuit Court for a December 2010 robbery at an Ashland PremierWest Bank.

He was arrested following a robbery in Coos Bay in April 2011, convicted and sentenced to 22 years in state prison. He has been in the Jackson County Jail since August 2011 to face the Ashland charges.

The tree Monical jumped into has been chopped down, as have several others nearby. The recreation hall cover also is being fortified with a stronger material.

No blood was found on the tree to suggest that Monical suffered a serious injury following his jump. However, he could have experienced a minor injury and could be limping around, Winters said.

Winters said anyone found helping Monical escape the area will face a felony charge for hindering prosecution.

"If you aid and abet him in any way, you will go to jail," Winters said.